Mussorgsky’s masterpiece. Popular classical music.

We’ll introduce masterpieces by Modest Mussorgsky, famous for Pictures at an Exhibition and Night on Bald Mountain (St.

John’s Eve on the Bare Mountain).

Isn’t Pictures at an Exhibition by Ravel?

Many people may say they’ve heard Night on Bald Mountain, but the original is of course by Mussorgsky; it became famous through performances of various arrangements.

Contrary to what you might expect, Mussorgsky actually wrote relatively few standalone orchestral pieces, leaving many songs and piano works instead.

I want you to get to know Mussorgsky’s original music, so this time I’ll be introducing some of his masterworks.

Playlist

Mussorgsky’s masterpiece. Popular classical music.
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	Great Gate of Kyiv, from the suite Pictures at an ExhibitionModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Explanation of The Great Gate of Kyiv from Pictures at an Exhibition
2	Aria of Shaklovity from the opera KhovanshchinaModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Expressing the fate of Russia in an aria from Khovanshchina
3	Pimen’s Aria from the opera Boris GodunovModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		A string quartet derived from opera, expressing Russian spirituality
4	Scherzo in B-flat majorModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Masterpieces of Russian classical music
5	The Fall of Sennacherib (The Destruction of Sennacherib) (1866–67)Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky		An epic piece depicting the fall of Assyria
6	Symphonic Poem ‘Night on Bald Mountain’Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Introduction to a symphonic poem based on a folktale in which a monster appears
7	Tears in G minor (Une larme g-moll)Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Expressing inner conflict in a melancholic piano solo in G minor
8	Meditation – Album Leaf in D minor (Meditation – Feuillet d’album d minor)Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky		A meditative piano piece characterized by delicate emotional expression
9	Spinning Woman (1871)Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky		A serene masterpiece depicting Mussorgsky’s spinning girl
10	Promenade I from the suite ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky		The piece composed by Mussorgsky about a walk at his friend’s posthumous exhibition
11	From the suite ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’: The Hut on Fowl’s Legs (Baba-Yaga)Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky		A masterpiece that depicts Mussorgsky’s hut on chicken legs
12	March: Recapture of KarsModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		An orchestral work by Mussorgsky praising Russia’s military victory
13	Jesus Navi (Joshua)Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky		A sacred choral piece depicting Joshua’s victory
14	Symphonic Interlude in the Classical StyleModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Mussorgsky’s classical, shadowed, and weighty work
15	In the Village in D major (Au village D-Dur)Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky		A piano piece depicting the Russian countryside
16	Overture to the Opera ‘The Fair at Sorochyntsi’Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky		An overture depicting a Ukrainian village festival by Mussorgsky
17	From the suite ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’, Catacombs (Roman Tombs)Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky		A masterpiece that expresses Russian nationality and cemeteries
18	Bidlo, from the suite Pictures at an ExhibitionModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Explanation of 'Bydło' from the suite Pictures at an Exhibition
19	Gnome, from the suite Pictures at an ExhibitionModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		The heavy musical theme of the earth-dwelling fairy, the gnome
20	From the suite ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’: Addressing the dead with dead wordsModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		A mystical piano piece that expresses dialogue with the dead
21	Night on Bald MountainModest Mussorgsky		Music depicting a witches’ nocturnal revel
22	From the opera Boris Godunov: Boris’s deathModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		The death scene of Boris Godunov
23	Hopak from the opera The Fair at SorochyntsiModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Hopak performance at the fair in Sorochyntsi
24	From the opera Khovanshchina: Prelude “Dawn on the Moscow River”Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Performance of the Dawn Prelude on the Moskva River
25	From the opera Boris Godunov, Simpleton’s ariaModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Aria performance from Boris Godunov
26	From the opera Boris Godunov, PrologueModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Prologue to Boris Godunov
27	Marina’s aria from the opera Boris GodunovModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Marina's aria, tantalizing
28	From the opera Boris Godunov: Coronation SceneModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Coronation scene of Boris Godunov
29	From the opera Boris Godunov, the Clock SceneModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		The Clock Scene from Boris Godunov. Performed by bass and piano.
30	From the song collection “Children’s Room”: “With a Doll,” “Evening Prayer,” “Riding a Rocking Horse”Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Singing three songs from a children's song collection in soprano
31	From the suite Pictures at an Exhibition: Samuel Goldenberg and SchmuÿleModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		The piece of two Jews from Pictures at an Exhibition
32	From the suite ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’, The Market at LimogesModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Playing Pictures at an Exhibition from Limoges in the Words of the Dead
33	Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks from the suite ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Dance of the Little Chicks from Pictures at an Exhibition
34	The Old Castle, from the suite Pictures at an ExhibitionModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Playing 'The Old Castle' from Pictures at an Exhibition on saxophone
35	Dance of the Persian Slaves from the opera KhovanshchinaModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Khovanshchina Persian Slave Dance
36	On the southern coast of Crimea, No. 1: Gurzuf — Ayu-DagModest Mussorgsky		Modest, a composer representing the Russian nationalist school...
37	On the Southern Coast of Crimea, No. 2: “Baidary”Modest Mussorgsky		The great master of the Russian nationalist school, Modest Mussorg…
38	Scherzo in C-sharp minorModest Mussorgsky		The Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky...
39	The Skaters’ WaltzModest Mussorgsky		A beautiful waltz piece popular for skating
40	Sonata for Piano Four HandsModest Mussorgsky		The Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky...
41	Symphonic Poem ‘Night on Bald Mountain’Modest Mussorgsky		Modest..., a composer representing Russia’s nationalist school
42	Symphonic Poem “Night on Bald Mountain” (arr. by Rimsky-Korsakov)Modest Mussorgsky		The intensity and tension never let up for nine minutes in the symphonic poem “...
43	Intermezzo in the classical styleModest Mussorgsky		One of the members of the Russian composers' group known as the Five...
44	reverieModest Mussorgsky		Known as a member of the Russian nationalist musical group “The Five,” …
45	Pictures at an ExhibitionModest Mussorgsky		Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition Russian classics
46	Promenade from Pictures at an ExhibitionModest Mussorgsky		Modest Mussorgsky, one of the members of the Russian Five…
47	Impromptu PassionatoModest Mussorgsky		One of the founders of Russian nationalist music, and...
48	In the VillageModest Mussorgsky		The group of composers representing Russia’s national school, “The Ro…
49	tear(s)Modest Mussorgsky		Composed by Modest Mussorgsky in his later years...
50	Meditation Pieces — An Album’s SpellingModest Mussorgsky		One of the composers representing the Russian national school…
51	Spinning Woman (Scherzino)Modest Mussorgsky		Spinning Woman (Scherzino) is Russia’s...
52	Suite ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’Modest Mussorgsky		Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky dai…
53	“The Hut on Fowl’s Legs (Baba Yaga)” from the suite “Pictures at an Exhibition”Modest Mussorgsky		Modest Mussorg—based on a Russian folktale...
54	Suite ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’ No. 1 ‘Promenade’Modest Mussorgsky		Pictures at an Exhibition is Mussorgsky’s piano suite
55	“The Great Gate of Kiev” from the suite Pictures at an ExhibitionModest Mussorgsky		A grand Russian folk music that begins with the sound of bells
56	“Baba Yaga” from the suite Pictures at an ExhibitionModest Mussorgsky		Introduction to Mussorgsky’s witch-themed piece
57	Promenade (from the suite Pictures at an Exhibition)Modest Mussorgsky		Part of Pictures at an Exhibition, characterized by a distinctive rhythm and folk music
58	Pictures at an Exhibition: PromenadeModest Mussorgsky		I am currently active as a member of an orchestra...
59	Symphonic Poem “Night on Bald Mountain”Modest Mussorgsky		On the eve of St. John’s Day, the earth spirit Chernobog on the bald mountain...
60	Varlaam’s Song from the opera Boris GodunovModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Singing by a bass in Boris Godunov
61	From the opera Boris Godunov, Fountain SceneModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Perform the duet in the moonlit garden in the fountain scene of Boris Godunov.
62	Song Cycle “Songs and Dances of Death”Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Performance of all four pieces of Songs and Dances of Death
63	From the suite ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’, Tuileries (The Garden)Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky		From Pictures at an Exhibition to the Tuileries Garden
64	Boris’s monologue from the opera Boris GodunovModest Petrovich Mussorgsky		Monologue of Boris Godunov